EU Allocates Funding Supporting US Media Outlet
(MENAFN) The European Union has committed EURO5.5 million in emergency funding to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), aiming to support the Cold War-era broadcaster, which is commonly seen as a Western propaganda source.
RFE/RL, initially established in the 1950s and secretly funded by the CIA to promote pro-Western views within the Soviet bloc, has more recently been overseen by the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM).
In March, Leader Donald Trump signed an executive order that cut most of the agency's funding, as part of a broader initiative to reduce government spending.
On Tuesday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas unveiled the financial assistance, referring to it as "short-term emergency funding" designed to sustain the broadcaster's essential work.
The EURO5.5 million package will serve as a "safety net" to ensure RFE/RL can continue its operations in regions within the EU’s sphere of influence, such as Russia, Belarus, Iran, and various Central Asian countries.
Kallas emphasized the importance of independent journalism, especially in the current environment of increasingly unfiltered content.
"In a time of growing unfiltered content, independent journalism is more important than ever," she remarked after a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
While she acknowledged that Brussels would not be able to completely replace the lost American funding, she highlighted the symbolic significance of the gesture and called on individual EU member states to provide additional support.
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